Woman’s World: This week was a tough one for Hollywood. While the legendary late actress Lauren Bacall was not often in San Diego, in 1990 she charmed about 4,800 females attending the Regional Conference for Women here. Tribune columnist Neil Morgan was among about a dozen men there.

He captured the essence of what she insisted, at age 65, was only her fourth speech ever. “I’ve lived alone for 20 years — off and on,” she said in her deep, sultry voice. “And except for Bogart, I’ve been unable to depend on any man I’ve ever known for anything... Thank God I’ve had my work. It’s the driving force in my life.”

As for letting off steam, she confided: “I’ve never been in analysis because the walls are fabulous. They never talk back. And I rave on like a maniac.”

Bacall had a chance to do some raving at the following media conference when a brash, young male reporter from a community newspaper pushed to the front and started yelling questions at her.

A conference organizer, Joyce Flannery, recalled that the actress calmly pulled off her glasses and, in classic Bacall form, responded: “Young man, you are rude, or you are stupid.”

When he kept speaking, she theatrically tossed her hair and continued to upbraid him: “I am here to talk to all of you... except for you, young man, you need to learn some manners.”